'Turkey backs North Macedonia's NATO bid'

By Dzihat Aliju

BELGRADE, Serbia (AA) - Turkey's Parliament Speaker Mustafa Sentop has said North Macedonia's NATO membership protocol would be approved by the General Assembly of the Parliament by the end of July.

Sentop's remarks came during his visit to Bitola, southern city of North Macedonia.

Speaking to the reporters, Sentop said that each of the NATO member states should adopt a protocol on the entry of North Macedonia into NATO.

"This has legal processes. However, as Turkey's parliament speaker I've referred to our foreign affairs. I hope it will be discussed during Foreign Commission's meeting next week. It will then be approved by our General Assembly, possibly within a month," said Sentop.

Sentop added that Turkey and North Macedonia are two friendly and brotherly countries and Turkey is one of the first to recognize North Macedonia's independence.